Last False Creek boat-fuel station due to close
By Christina Montgomery, The Province
Published: Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Thousands of recreational boaters who moor in Vancouver's False Creek -- and sail in English Bay -- could lose their only refuelling station by April.
That would leave boaters with the choice of motoring for an hour through First Narrows to Coal Harbour's Chevron station, or toting their own jerry cans up and down docks at the creek's marinas.
Imperial Oil now operates the gas dock tucked under the Burrard Street Bridge, the last of three that once served the busy commercial harbour, which is now home to a largely recreational fleet and a small number of commercial fishing boats.
The station now sells about two million litres of fuel a year, down from about 20 million at the height of its operations.
The fuel dock is also used by the creek's commuter ferries and Aquabuses.
Imperial is pulling out of the marine-gas wing of its operations and closing seven stations along the coast of B.C.
Stations in Fisherman's Cove in West Vancouver and in Steveston, Nanaimo, Campbell River, Port Hardy and Prince Rupert are also affected.
The False Creek station was due to close next week, but the company has put the move off until the end of March in hopes of finding someone to take it over.
Allan Keefe, who has managed the station for 22 years, made an offer, but Imperial told him he had insufficient financial backing.
Keefe, who does most of his business during the summer, says he is worried that given the choice of battling the strong current at First Narrows, boaters will opt to haul their own gas to their boats -- risking spills and environmental damage.
Company spokesman Pius Rolheiser said Imperial has approached the Vancouver park board and other parties about taking over the station, which the company would continue to supply, but no deal has been struck.
Keefe has said Imperial wants a $10-million indemnity for the operation to continue, even though the new operator would act as an independent and not an Esso-brand station.
Keefe can't provide that indemnity, but says that if the city leased the waterlot from the province and became his landlord, it would ensure the station would remain in the spot where it's been since 1938.
Rolheiser declined to comment on any commercial negotiations, or on which other parties the company had spoken with.
Korina Houghton, chair of the Vancouver park board, confirmed that Imperial approached the board in January with information.
The board manages the False Creek site, which is adjacent to the city's Burrard Street marina.
cmontgomery@pngcanwest.com 
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